Mechanisms for controlling a rope while paying it out or hauling it in and to releasably secure a rope under tension are Known in the prior art. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,716,630 issued Jan. 5, 1988 to Helmut K. Skyba for CAM LOCK WITH POSITIVE RELEASE and U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,474 issued Nov. 29, 1988 to Daniel F. Brennan for ROPE CONTROLLER.
Those two prior art mechanisms, and all others known to applicant, utilize a spring-pressed cam within a housing, through which the rope passes, to selectively grip the rope at a desired point between the cam and a portion of the housing. The spring normally urges the cam against the rope. An operator may manually move the cam away from the rope by pressing against the cam to overcome the spring pressure and free the rope.
The springs are critical to the satisfactory operation of the known prior art devices for controlling the paying out and hauling in of a rope, and the tendency of the springs to become inoperative for one reason or another, such as becoming fouled with debris, adversely affects the utility of the prior art devices.